Tuesday, 28 February 2012

I've been tagged so many times lately I thought it'd be rude to put it off any longer. If you don't want to plough through all my answers (and I don't blame you if you don't)you can always admire my fabulous new-to-me original 1970s wood platforms I won on eBay last week.

The furthest I've travelled from home is Gili Air, off the coast of Lombok, Indonesia.

The Stray Cats at Birmingham Odeon in 1979 was the first gig I ever went to when I was 13.

I've never worn foundation.

I became a vegetarian when I found out meat came from animals at the tender age of 18 months old. I've never eaten it since.

I own every record ever released on vinyl by Blondie.

When I was still at school and living at home I used to wait till my parents were in bed, sneak out of the house and go clubbing at The Nightingale, Birmingham's legendary gay club, until the early hours. I never got found out.

I've been barred from more than one town centre pub for dancing on the bar.

The first house I owned was in the red light district of town. I'd often be visited by the local pimps offering to make me rich.

I was so jealous when my brother was born that I tipped him out of his carry cot, pushed his pram through a plate glass door and cut all the pom-poms off his clothes.

At the V Festival a few years ago Jon and I went to see different bands and some scumbag roofie-d my beer, luckily I was rescued before anything untoward happened.

What is your favourite dessert? I hate sweet food so (vegetarian) cheese and biscuits.

If you could live in any decade which would it be and why? I already lived in my dream period (1966-1973) but was too young to remember much of it.

What is your favourite Disney film? None, I can't stand that soppy crap.

Who is your favourite historical person and why? Gandhi, the dude rocked.

What is your favourite book? Shantarram by Gregory David Roberts.

If you were given £1000 to spend in any one place, where would you choose? I'd fly to India, staying in heritage homes & Maharajah's palaces until the cash ran out.

What is your favourite childhood memory? The long hot summer of 1976.

If you could hold a dinner with only 2 other guests (dead or alive, celebrity or historical) who would they be? Rabindranath Tagore and Jimi Hendrix, the former for his wisdom and the latter for eye candy.

What would you choose to be your last supper? If I was about to kick the bucket food would be the last thing on my mind.

Name one beauty product you couldn't live without. Black eye liner.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be and why? India because it's beautiful, colourful and has the best food and the most wonderful people on the planet.

What was the name of your first love? I'm not a sentimental sort so it'd have to be Oxfam.

What was the first car you owned? I can't drive but I went halves with Jon and bought our first VW Camper van for our 40th birthdays in 2006.

Who is your favourite TV character? Jax Teller from Sons Of Anarchy, a bad ass Hell's Angel with a heart.

How did you meet your partner? I was playing pool with a couple of guys in our local biker-friendly pub, Jon was standing behind me asking someone about a song called "Soul Train" and couldn't remember who sung it. I yelled "Swansway" and the rest was history.

What pisses you off the most? Bigotry and self pity.

If you weren't living where you are now, where would you live and why? India because it's the best place in the world.

Confess something naughty! When I was a penniless student I accepted an invitation to a posh restaurant for dinner from a man I didn't fancy, ate my dinner and escaped through the window in the ladies' toilet.

If you could be reincarnated, who would you be and why? Helen, the legendary Bollywood vamp.

What skill would you like to learn? I'd love to be able to drive but I know humanity is safer without me on the roads.

If this was your last day on the planet, how would you spend it? At a music festival on a baking hot sunny day with good company, great music, unlimited alcohol and unadulterated hedonism.

Who is your most bizarre celebrity crush? Jarvis Cocker and Noel Fielding both make me go weak at the knees.

What is/Would be your karaoke song? I murder Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves.

If you could invent your own course and teach it, what would it be? Success at jumble sales & The art of dressing like a trollop.

Zombie Apocalypse weapon of choice? No idea, I'd leave it to Jon, he's great in a crisis.

What period in history would you most like to visit? I was around in the late sixties but I'd like to have been old enough to remember it.

What's the most unusual food you've eaten? Probably that dodgy flapjack I bought from a hippy at Glasto which made me very silly.

Have you met any celebrities? A few. The most exciting was Michael Lang, the guy who organised Woodstock. Also lots of musicians as the West Midlands is a veritable hot bed of rock stars plus eminent politicians, news readers and royalty from my days in corporate hospitality.

How long have you been thrifting/op shopping/jumble sale-ing? Since I could walk. I inherited my passion for second-hand stuff from my Mum & Grandma so I've been dragged around such places since the 1960s.

Which childhood cartoon/tv program scared you the most? Will 'O' The Wisp.

What are 3 of your favourite books? Shantarram, God Of Small Things, White Tiger.

Monday, 27 February 2012

The good? That's this gorgeous Indian embroidered maxi Sabine kindly sent me last week. I wore it out on Saturday night and it's set to become a firm favourite. I love it.

Notice a slight difference in my favourite posing patch? Whilst the weather's been so Spring-like I've been busy weeding, pruning and digging.

The fennel, comfrey, sea holly and flax have been dug up and chucked on the compost heap, as they've been killed by the frost, leaving just a handful of spring bulbs and poppies. The pots have been scrubbed out and the galvanised steel window boxes are ready for planting once I've checked out what's going cheap on the market tomorrow.

I've dug out a dead tree and cut down the brambles in this corner,creating an exciting den for the cats.

The bad? My gardening outfit. It will hardly surprise you to know that no shop was entered to create this ensemble, the tiger print leggings, Jethro Tull tour teeshirt and Converse boots all came from various jumble sales. Oh, the glamour.

The scary? My attempt at sorting out the garden's a mere drop in the ocean. The blasted thing goes on for another 90 metres with a grand total of twenty-seven trees, fourteen of which have preservation orders on them and despite our pleas to the council they won't even let us prune them.

There's parts I can't reach without a scythe. There's a pond just to the left if you look closely.

It's all so big, overwhelming and scary. Most of it's too shady to grow anything and it's permanently covered in a carpet of leaves.

Any tips, ideas and advice?

Fortunately it's just started raining so I can down tools and forget about it for the rest of the day.

Friday, 24 February 2012

If I hadn't had enough excitement this week with the news that my darling Krista's coming to visit, look what the postman delivered, only this incredible vintage midi skirt, once owned by the gorgeous Sabine's auntie. It's loud, it's 1970s and it's knitted, I've got the feeling I'll be living in this.

Also in the parcel was this stunning Indian embroidered maxi dress which was Sabine's Mum's back in the day. It's a perfect fit, I love it.

I exercised restraint in the chazza shops today. I donated three bags full of Jon's old clobber, a pair of shoes that cripple me and a heap of paperback books and only came back with two purchases, a Native American beaded pendant and a groovy tiger print top.

Thursday, 23 February 2012

I knew that if I waited long enough the perfect denim waistcoat would eventually turn up and here it is, snaffled for the princely sum of 30p from the kid's section. It may be an age 9/10 but it fits just fine. Lacking in the bosom department has it's advantages.

There's no time for hesitation at a jumble, dither at your peril. Sometimes the most mundane of things look surprisingly decent on so, if something catches your eye, trust your instincts and grab it. This polyester dress looked like nothing at first glance but then I spotted the green lurex trim and was pleased to discover the 1970s label once I got home.

From back in the days when Wallis was a bit more cutting edge than it is now.

This pretty hand-made crochet shawl was hidden amongst the bedding, even if you have no interest whatsoever in household linens it's best to leave no single section of the jumble ignored.

I also picked up this 1970s straw bag,

these 1960s blingy gold sandals (in my size)....

...and not two vintage candlewick bedspreads, still in the original packaging...

Tuesday, 21 February 2012

Our historic market has been trading since 1219 and despite the arrival of the huge 24 hour Asda (Walmart) superstore to the town a few years ago it's still the cheapest place to buy fresh fruit and veg.

Once a week we walk a mile into town and stock up on whatever's going cheap.

Every bowl on this stall costs £1.

This is one of the town's prized art installations, the Spirit of Tranquillity, but better known to us locals as the "Hair in the Square". She was originally a water feature but our spoil-sport council turned off the water supply after the kids kept pouring washing-up liquid into the water supply engulfing the town in bubbles.

This statue is a tribute to Sister Dora, our answer to Florence Nightingale.

Check out those boarded up shops behind me, set to be demolished to make way for Primark. Can you see the yellow scaffolding to the top right of the picture? That's the remains of The Overstrand, where The Charlatans played their first ever gig in 1988. (Well guessed, Lucy & Just Another Wardrobe Experience).

Monday, 20 February 2012

It's no secret that I'm not a big fan of Fifties fashion but as so many of you loved the 20p cocktail frock I scored at Friday night's jumble sale I thought I'd better give it a whirl.

Bendy arm haters look away now.

A 1950s loving chick would probably team this with an elegant French pleat, dainty pearls, elbow length gloves and pointy shoes but that'd be one step too far from my comfort zone. I'm more Grace Slick than Grace Kelly.

I'm Vix, a jumble sale-ing, car-booting, skip-diving, charity shopping, hedonistic hippy chick in love with life, India and vintage clothes.
In my world getting dressed is always an adventure, never a chore. My style is Woodstock refugee meets Rolling Stones groupie with a bit of vintage Bollywood thrown in. I don't follow fashion and if I look ridiculous so what? Not being noticed and blending in with the crowd is my idea of hell.
A day without dressing up is a day wasted.